GPS Tracking for Alzheimer’s patients

If you’ve read many posts on this blog, we often post about the benefits of GPS ankle bracelets for people at risk for wandering away or becoming the victim of exploitation or violence. Here’s a great story about how a GPS tracking wrist bracelet aided authorities in locating a mentally disabled man who had wondered away from home.

As a part of Project Lifesaver, a program launched by the Sarasota Police Department several years ago, the disabled man is one of 75 people considered at risk for wandering provided with GPS tracking bracelets. Participants include adults with dementia and other disabilities as well as children with autism and Down’s Syndrome.

The rescued man was safely recovered near Caspersen Beach, approximately two miles from his home. Authorities partially credit the use of the GPS tracking device for saving the man’s life, as it allowed them to locate him before the tide came in, which the man likely would not have survived.

A recent report by the Arizona Daily Star indicates that caregivers are increasingly using technology such as GPS tracking software in caring for elderly loved ones, especially Alzheimer’s patients.

With GPS tracking software and a tracking device, caregivers can receive scheduled location updates at specific intervals for the person he or she is caring for. In addition to the convenience of receiving regular location information, the GPS tracking software provides an added safety measure for emergencies, allowing caregivers to quickly and easily pinpoint the location of their loved one if they are lost.

In the past we’ve written about GPS tracking for elderly individuals, especially those with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Not only do GPS trackers offer peace of mind for family members, but most importantly they offer a greater level of security for the loved one. With GPS tracking software, it’s possible to know the exact location of the person wearing the GPS tracker at any time–day or night.

Today, we’d like to remind our readers that GPS trackers and GPS tracking software also provide added safety for children- especially those with disabilities. While some parents choose GPS trackers that can be tossed in a backpack or worn on the waist, another option, particularly for at risk children, is a GPS tracker enclosed in an ankle case. Discreetly hidden under the pants leg, an ankle bracelet GPS tracker is more likely to remain with the child at all times rather than a tracker stashed in a backpack. In the event of an emergency, parents could track the exact location of their child using GPS tracking software, or even set up automated cell phone alerts when the tracker crosses a specific boundary.

With the number of retiring baby boomers on the rise, the number of individuals suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease is also climbing. As the numbers are expected to continue increasing, some health care agencies are looking into GPS tracking applications as a useful tool in allowing dementia patient’s more freedom and families additional peace of mind.

One Scandinavian study is testing the use of a GPS tracking app with dementia patients to gauge the impact on GPS tracking on the lives of dementia patients. So far the study has included approximately 50 patients for up to a year each. According to the study, those patients who used the GPS tracking app felt safer, had more freedom, and an overall better quality of life.

Cutting his GPS Tracking Bracelet resulted in a Wisconsin sex offender heading back to jail. Sentenced to wear the GPS tracker for life, authorities were alerted when the offender removed the bracelet. He was found in his home with the GPS tracking bracelet loosely attached to his leg. The man could face felony charges for tampering with a GPS tracking device.

TrackingTheWorld’s OFT-210 ankle bracelet GPS tracker is ideal for secure tracking of home based corrections individuals, high-risk populations such as Alzheimer’s patients. The OFT-210 utilizes fiber optic technology for virtually tamper-proof GPS tracking. In addition, the ankle tracker includes a hidden backup battery as an added measure of security.

Here’s an excellent example of using GPS tracking devices to ensure the safety of the ones you love the most. According to a recent New Jersey report, an 84-year-old woman who wandered away from home was located unharmed within 2-hours of her disappearance thanks to a GPS tracking bracelet worn on her person. Located in a wooded area about 2-miles from home, the woman is a participant in a New Jersey program which provides free GPS trackers to at risk individuals unable to leave home alone due to medical conditions that may cause them to wander away.

Have you considered GPS trackers for the elderly loved ones in your life? Compact and discreet ankle bracelet GPS trackers are an affordable and reliable option for Alzheimer’s patients, dementia patients, and others.

TrackingTheWorld’s OFT-210 GPS tracking ankle bracelet offers tamper proof fiber optic technology, and a battery back up system which provides an added layer of security for loved ones as well as peace of mind for caregivers.